AUXILIARY UPDATE : 12 april 2022

PUBLIC HOLIDAY ENTITLEMENTS FOR EASTER, ANZAC DAY AND LABOUR DAY

With the Easter period, ANZAC Day and Labour Day almost upon us, I provide the following to UFUQ members to clear up any confusion that may exist regarding what you are entitled to claim on the many upcoming public holidays.

As a reminder, the relevant public holidays are:

Good Friday
Friday, 15 April 2022

The day after Good Friday (Easter Saturday)
Saturday, 16 April 2022

Easter Sunday
Sunday, 17 April 2022

Easter Monday
Monday, 18 April 2022

ANZAC Day
Monday, 25 April 2022

Labour Day
Monday, 2 May 2022

The Auxiliary Firefighters Award – State 2016 states –

26. Public holidays
(a) Public holidays are provided for in Division 10 of the QES. Clauses 26(b) and (c) supplement the QES provisions.

(b) An auxiliary firefighter who is required to work on a public holiday will be paid at the rate of double time and one-half for any hours worked, with a minimum payment of 4 hours' work for the day.

(c) Where an alternative day is declared for a public holiday, the penalty payment and minimum payment prescribed in clause 26(b) shall only be payable for work performed on the day normally attributable to the public holiday (e.g. 1 January) and not another substituted day in lieu.

This means that on the dates set out above you are entitled to double time and a half, with a minimum of four hours pay on any of the days where you’re required to work (work of any type).

You will recall your union explained how the four hours minimum works in an Auxiliary Update dated 30 April 2021, which included this explanation –

Calculation of payment for public holiday work
The minimum entitlement of 4 hours payment for the day operates alongside the ordinary 2-hour engagement period for each call-in.

This means that, for work that you perform on a public holiday, you should receive the following:
1. A minimum of four hours’ pay at the public holiday rate (double time and half), regardless of time actually worked. The four hours’ payment commences when you start work on the day, and buys out any work performed during that 4-hour period.
2. All other call in work performed after that 4-hour block is remunerated at the same public holiday penalty rate, for a minimum of 2 hours for each call in.
For example, if you were called in at 1000h on the Queen’s Birthday public holiday for 30 minutes, and then again at 1200h for 1 hour, and again at 1600h for 15 minutes, you would claim the following:
4 hours at double time and a half (for the work performed within the four-hour block between 10am and 2pm)
AND
2 hours at double time and a half (for the call in at 4pm).

If an error is made, in the first instance, please ensure you raise the issue with your regional HR contact as soon as possible.

If an issue remains unresolved, subsequent to contacting regional HR and receiving a reply that you don’t agree with, please notify your local UFUQ representative for assistance.

If seeking assistance please ensure you provide your local UFUQ representative with the appropriate evidence for your claim, including the reasons provided to you by HR (preferably in writing) as to why your claim has not been accepted.

I hope all Auxiliary Firefighters have a safe and enjoyable Easter, ANZAC Day and Labour Day and that you get to spend some time with family and friends.

John Oliver - General Secretary